Alejandro Cartago Hernandez Killed in Grant County DUI Crash on State Route 283 Near George, WA – January 18, 2026

On the evening of January 18, 2026, a fatal head-on collision on State Route 283 in Grant County, Washington, claimed the life of Alejandro Cartago Hernandez, 53, of Ephrata. The crash occurred approximately seven miles northeast of George at around 5:45 p.m., according to the Washington State Patrol. Authorities reported that a southbound vehicle crossed into oncoming traffic and struck Hernandez’s northbound pickup. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators indicated that alcohol and drugs were factors in the collision. The 39-year-old driver of the southbound vehicle was transported to Quincy Valley Hospital and later charged in connection with the incident. The vehicles involved—a 2015 GMC Sierra and a 2004 Ford F-150—sustained extensive damage. The case remains under review as officials continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the crash that ended the life of Alejandro Cartago Hernandez on a rural stretch of highway in Grant County.